Milan Hnilička facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milan Hnilička
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| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 21 October 2017 – 26 January 2021 |
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| Born | 25 June 1973 Litoměřice, Czechoslovakia |
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Milan Hnilička (born June 25, 1973) is a famous Czech former professional ice hockey player. He was a talented goaltender who played for several teams. Milan also became a politician later in his life. He played in the top ice hockey league, the National Hockey League (NHL). His NHL teams included the New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Los Angeles Kings.
Milan was chosen by the New York Islanders in the 1991 NHL draft. He won the Calder Cup in 2000 with the Hartford Wolf Pack. This team is part of the American Hockey League (AHL). He stopped playing professional hockey in August 2010.
After his hockey career, Milan became a member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. This is like being a member of parliament. He served from 2017 until January 2021. He resigned from his political role after breaking some rules. Milan also proudly represented his country in many international hockey tournaments. He played for both the junior and senior teams of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
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Milan Hnilička's Hockey Journey
Milan Hnilička started his hockey career in Czechoslovakia. He played for Poldi SONP Kladno in the top league there. In 1991, the New York Islanders picked him in the NHL draft. He then moved to North America in 1992.
Playing in North America
Milan spent one season playing for the Swift Current Broncos. This team is in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He helped them reach the 1993 Memorial Cup, a big junior hockey tournament. After that, he played two seasons in minor leagues. He then returned to the Czech Extraliga, the top league in the Czech Republic.
In 1999, the New York Rangers signed him. He made his first NHL appearance on October 14, 1999. Most of that season, he played for the Hartford Wolf Pack. This team was the Rangers' minor league affiliate. He helped the Wolf Pack win the Calder Cup, which is the championship for the AHL.
Milan later signed with the Atlanta Thrashers. He played for them for three seasons. In 2003, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He mostly played for the Kings' minor league team, the Manchester Monarchs. He played only two games for the Kings.
Returning to the Czech Republic
In 2004, Milan went back to the Czech Republic. He played five seasons with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec. He also briefly played for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in Russia. His last professional games were in the 2009–10 season. He played three games for HC Slavia Praha. Milan holds a special record for the Atlanta Thrashers team. He made 53 saves in one game on December 18, 2001. This was against the Boston Bruins.
Representing His Country
Milan Hnilička was a key player for his national teams. He first played for the Czechoslovak junior team in 1990. They won a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships. He won another bronze medal at the 1991 World Junior Championships. He was also named to the senior Czechoslovak team in 1991. However, he did not play in those tournaments. His last junior tournament for Czechoslovakia was in 1992.
Playing for the Czech Republic
After Czechoslovakia separated, Milan began playing for the Czech national team. He played in seven World Championships. He also played in the 1998 Winter Olympics and 2006 Winter Olympics. He did not play in the 1998 Olympics, but was part of the team that won gold.
Milan won gold medals at the World Championships in 1999, 2001, and 2005. He also earned a silver medal in 2006. In addition, he won bronze medals in 1997 and 1998. He was a very successful international player.
Images for kids
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Milan Hnilička in his hockey uniform.
